Category — Gadgets

Part of Bandai Namco’s “Cook Joy” series, the Cook Joy Gyoza Maker simplifies the process for making the delicious dumplings. Looking something like a printing press or a cash register, the brightly colored box gives consistent results with a simple turn of the crank. Designed to produce perfect gyoza every time by ensuring that the precise amount of filling lands right in the center of the skin, the gyoza is sealed shut as it passes through the rollers. (An additional set of rollers is included specifically for making wontons.) Upon completion, the finished product drops into a little drawer ready to be steamed or pan-fried. It’s like getting a little prize every time.

Feeding your child with the tried and true ‘airplane’ method is all fine and good (it is tried and true for a reason), but for serious food fun it may be time to think of a more grounded approach. The Child Puzzle Tray by Wendy Boudewijns for Royalvkb practically guarantees your kid will be distracted at feeding time. Considering children and how they generally feel about their veggies, that’s probably a good thing. Plus, it all just fits together so nicely when done. Available at Unica for $66; no ‘vroom’ sounds included or needed.

First there was PuchiPuchi, the endless bubble wrap-popping gadget, and then there came Mugen Peri Peri, for those that can’t get enough opening of shipping envelopes. Now, there is Stickpecker by MicroWorks. However, unlike those two aforementioned toys, this gadget is useful. A small magnet holds the chopsticks together, necessitating that the soon-to-be diner pulls them apart. The action is meant to be reminiscent of the separating of wooden takeout chopsticks. A clever woodpecker design reminds us all that wooden chopsticks do in fact come from trees. Nice job, MicroWorks.

(Via Serious Eats)

While I appreciate the enthusiasm of this Expandable Cookie Cooling Rack, I just don’t know if I actually see it being used to its full potential. Utilizing a space-saving design when not in use, the telescoping steel surface slides out to reveal two additional cooling racks. Starting at a measurement of 14-inches by 13.75-inches, with a height of 1.5-inches, the cooling rack may provide plenty of room to cool cookies and other baked goods, but chances are those additional racks will never get a chance to know the sweet delight of a sugary touch. At least around these parts, freshly baked cookies hot out of the oven simply don’t last that long.

Does the light really shut off when you close the ice chest door? Wait, there is no light inside the ice chest. That is, unless you have this Cooler Light from Taylor Gifts. Other than providing minutes of entertainment as the mystery of the cooler light is explored by opening and shutting the ice chest, the cooler light provides much needed illumination for when the party heads into the night. There’s nothing worse than grabbing a Coke when what you really wanted was a PBR. Now that all-too-common mix-up can finally be avoided. As for the cooler light? Yes, it does shut off automatically twenty seconds after you close the lid. But to see the light gnomes in action, you’ll have to buy one and see for yourself.

Kitchen timers may not be difficult to operate, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t be made easier to use. The Cube Timer takes the process and makes it as easy as possible. Just pick up the cube and put it back down again with the desired time interval on top. The timer counts down from a 5, 15, 30 or 60 minute setting, while the “0” setting stops the timer in progress. For those that can’t stand the suspense, an LED readout displays the exact time remaining–good news for the hungry clock-watchers that tend to gather by the stove around dinnertime.